Plans for Melbourne's future water management released

City West Water, South East Water, Yarra Valley Water and Western Water released their Urban Water Strategies today, along with the Melbourne Water System Strategy by Melbourne Water. These strategies identify the actions needed to ensure water availability for Melbourne and surrounding growth areas like Melton and Sunbury over the next 50 years.

The Melbourne Water System Strategy and associated Urban Water Strategies outline how water corporations will manage the significant challenges of ongoing population growth and urbanisation in our changing and variable climate. Current projections suggest over the next 50 years, the demand for water in Melbourne and the surrounding region could almost double, while annual flows from our major water supply catchments could decrease by more than 40 per cent.

The strategies align with Water for Victoria, the State Government’s long term plan for managing our precious water resources and will help to deliver the policies objectives.

The Water for a Future-Thriving Melbourne document has also been released which provides an easy to understand overview of future demand on the water supply system in Melbourne and also identifies the common actions in each of the strategies to manage that demand.

These strategies:

identify actions to help ensure reliable water supplies continue to be provided for customers and the community over the long term